She didn’t have the heart to tell her that it wouldn’t.
Elizabeth propped her chin on her hand and stared out the window, wanting to look anywhere but at her father, who was at fault for her predicament as far as she was concerned.
They passed through the city gates and ventured far out into the countryside. The moon was a silver crescent in the sky, and the grassy fields were painted black under the light of the stars. The road home meandered along the cliffs that overlooked the sea, but the water in the distance was dark, only made discernible by the reflection of the moonlight on the waves.
After a time, her father said, “We should be far enough away now, Elizabeth.” He closed his book and turned to her. “What is it that you wanted to ask me back at the palace?” He blinked, his expression impassive.
How like him to pretend that everything was fine, and speak to her as if all had already been forgiven.
Elizabeth hesitated, her curiosity over what happened in the ballroom warring with her desire to avoid speaking with her father. Curiosity won, so she asked, “What was all that about? Why was everyone acting so strange?”
“We had to leave quickly, but we needed to ensure it didn’t look like we doubted the queen’s protection.”
Elizabeth struggled with his answer, searching for a way to explain the crux of her confusion. “But why did everyone act like there was nothing wrong when someone tried to assassinate the queen?”
“Because they didn’t want to start a panic, which was undoubtedly the reason for the attack.”
“Horrible,” muttered Lady Harrison. “Those Fainans have much to answer for. Sending two helpless girls to die. And for what? To make a statement?”
“Indeed,” her father acknowledged.
“Those poor girls,” Elizabeth’s mother fretted. “I don’t envy them. That was a foolish thing to do, trying to throw a knife at the queen with so many guards present. They were only girls, even younger than ours!”
“Simply dreadful,” Lady Harrison agreed.
“But … if I may?” Elizabeth paused, considering her next words with care. “How could they have hoped to succeed? You said it yourself; they were two serving girls. How could they have possibly believed that they could kill the queen and make it out of the palace alive? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Her father was quiet for a moment. Finally, he said, “I do not think that they hoped to make it out alive, and I do not think that the attack was meant to kill the queen.”
“What do you mean? They threw a knife at her,” Elizabeth said exasperatedly.
“Yes, they could havehurtthe queen. If they had overcome insane odds, and we had been very, very unlucky. But I do not think the person who sent those two girls meant to kill the queen.” Her father removed his glasses and wiped them with a handkerchief he procured from his coat. “You weren’t there at the time, but the girl’s knife hardly grazed the queen’s arm. These were no trained assassins. The whole plan was a harebrained scheme that would have never worked.”
“Then why do it?” Charlotte asked, crossing her arms and shaking her head. She looked as perplexed as Elizabeth. “To what end? They had to have known it would mean their deaths.”
“I don’t know.”
“Hazard a guess then, Lord Ashcroft,” Lady Harrison said quietly. “I would like to hear your thoughts.”
Her father pursed his lips like he often did when considering his next move when they played chess. “I wonder … if it was a warning.”
“A warning for what?” Elizabeth asked, perplexed.
Her father met her gaze, and his throat bobbed. “To tell us that the rebels have organized.”
Chapter 3
Briarton
The road back to Briarton was long.
Whenever her engagement was brought up, Lady Harrison and her mother waxed eloquent about how wonderful it was to be married while Elizabeth did her best to sink into the cushions and disappear.
They arrived at Ashcroft Manor, and their carriage rolled to a stop outside an enormous white stone building. Marble pillars framed the entrance, surrounded by gardens of pink and white roses. A large fountain trickled in the middle of the drive, and the smell of honeysuckle and lavender greeted her as they parked beside the Harrison carriage.
Servants piled out of the manor, unpacking their trunks and tending to the horses. A pair of servants hastened to ready the Harrison carriage for travel, and a footman appeared to help them out of the carriage.
Their parents said their farewells, and Elizabeth and Charlotte took the opportunity to step out of earshot and exchange a few last hurried words.
